4. Buffering
• Should we buffer the hypercapneic acidosis
• hypercapnia and intracranial hypertension.
• higher pulmonary artery pressures
• ACIDOSIS itself can cause impaired cardiac contractility, prolonged QT
interval, decreased systemic vascular resistance, and hyperkalemia.
• Neutrophilic activity against bacterial infection is also attenuated with
hypercapnia
5. In Summary
• Permissive hypercapnia is a proven strategy for reducing VILI in
patients with severe respiratory failure, be it due to ARDS or
obstructive diseases like asthma or COPD. To state it simply, it's more
important to prevent iatrogenic lung injury than to get "normal" gas
exchange. The degree to which permissive hypercapnia has a clinical
benefit beyond preventing volutrauma remains to be seen, but the
existing literature suggests that this may be the case
6. Takeaway Points Regarding Permissive
Hypercapnia
• Pay attention to tidal volumes. For ARDS, 4-6 mL/kg PBW is recommended.
For obstructive airway diseases, 6- 8 mL/kg PBW is recommended. Exceeding
these thresholds may increase the risk of VILI.
• High respiratory rates may bring the pH up and the PaCO2 down, but this
may be harmful due to repetitive cycling of vulnerable lung units.
• Acidemia in itself may be beneficial in critical illness by augmenting blood
flow and tissue oxygen delivery.
• Look beyond the pH—consider buffer therapy, high respiratory rates, and
alternative ventilator strategies only if the acidosis seems to be causing
problems like intracranial hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, impaired
cardiac contractility, refractory hyperkalemia, and systemic hypotension.
8. Benefit or harm
• PaO2 of 65 vs PaO2 of 95
• Don't hurt the patient any more than you have to
• Do what's necessary, not whatever is possible.
• Tracheotomize early
• How much PEEP 5 - 10 – 15 - 20 (optimal PEEP)
9. Optimal PEEP
• How much PEEP 5 - 10 – 15 - 20 (optimal PEEP)
• Decremental PEEP Trial (Recruit, Reduce , and Recruit)
• PV Tool
The elimination of the excess CO2 produced by this reaction is not normally an
issue—one or two breaths are sufficient to clear it. In the setting of severe
respiratory failure, however, elimination of the CO2 may not be possible and the
pH may in fact fall with the administration of sodium bicarbonate. In addition,
CO2 diffuses freely over cell membranes (including in the CSF), but HCO3 -
does not. This has the effect of worsening intracellular acidosis, even if the
systemic pH rises. A transient hemodynamic improvement is often seen when a
bolus of sodium bicarbonate (e.g., an "amp") is given, but this is more likely due
to the loading of sodium than the change in pH—similar effects are seen with
bolus dosing of hypertonic saline. Keep in mind that the NaHCO3 given in a 50
mL ampule is 8.4%, which is a very hypertonic sodium solution.